Monday Nov 25, 2024
Monday Nov 25, 2024
Friday, 12 September 2014 01:57 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Q: Within the past decade, you have played an active role in developing Sri Lanka’s design sector and the young talent feeding into it. Where does it stand now?
A: Design is not a sector on its own but, it’s there to add value to other sectors and that’s what should be instilled when developing the design talent too. The last ten years have been hard work – but I’m very happy we made that investment because now we have professional design talent ready right here in Sri Lanka to service the country’s needs. Ten years ago, ‘design’ was a hobby or a part-time job for someone with an ‘arty flair.’ Today, Design is now a powerful value-addition demanded by all top industries because it has proven to deliver remarkable results for them and help them stand out in a competitive market.
As a nation, we are starting to see the benefits of design and having it as a resource for business.
Q: Having design as a source at our disbursement; what does that mean for Sri Lanka?
A: As our business sector looks towards reinventing and reaching new markets, they need design. Instead of being a manufacturer or just a production nation, ‘design’ gives us the edge to convert our businesses and products, particularly exports, into knowledge based operations and creating ‘brands’. So, design in fact is pushing us to move from manufacturing to a more brand oriented business culture with the ability to retain ‘ownership’ for the resulting success. So, with ‘design’ as a resource at our expense, Sri Lanka can do so much, our exports can go further, our brands can reach clienteles anywhere in the world and most importantly, Sri Lankans get empowered with the creative knowledge to make something unique here instead of manufacturing a product designed elsewhere, for a foreign brand. ‘Design’ is in fact showing the emergence of service export industry where the human resource remains in the country while the outcomes of their talent is exported and shared worldwide.
Q: How has design delivered for business? Can you give an example?
A: Yes. A major industry that has made good use of young design talent to step their game up is none other than Sri Lanka’s largest export – apparel. Right now, apparel is moving from being a manufacturing industry to a turnkey fashion industry where Sri Lankan designers sit here and design the latest sportswear collection for the clienteles in North America.
Q: Is it only apparel or are there more industries integrating design?
A: There are many more. Tea is an export industry that is greatly benefitted by design through the introduction of contemporary packaging to reach younger markets; the same can be said for Ceylon Cinnamon that is establishing its own identity through clever brand identity design and novel packaging. Tourism and hospitality also employ designers for an array of services from hotel interior design, product design, uniform design to logo design. All these things are leading businesses towards innovation and market expansion.
Q: What about grass-root level businesses?
A: We have sparked a major change in the grass-root level by bringing in design integration. We started with a pilot project ‘Design for Sustainable Development’ and now it has ventured out to provide design integrated contemporary craft for many buyers in Sri Lanka and abroad. Here, we allow traditional artisans to work with contemporary designers in order to update their colour palettes, shapes and products to match those in demand and trend. The results have been amazing. Today these communities are empowered with design and have some of the largest hotels and retail chains as their clients.
Q: Does this mean the public sector and the Government support design too?
A: The Sri Lankan Government has recognised the powerful role that design can play to change lives and help small and medium industries. We have great support from the ministry of Economic Development and the Export Development Board for the grass root level work we do and I think it’s a great thing to have our government supporting what will drive the nation towards the future.
Q: Is there room for more businesses and sectors to incorporate design?
A: Of course. What I mentioned previously are a few examples of the industries that have already used design in a major way and succeeded. But, design is not limited to this. Design is a universal need for any business today. From the very start where you need a logo designed, an identity for your brand designed or the office interior is designed, the services of a professional designer has become inevitable for business. So, while the larger, more visionary industries like apparel, tourism, hospitality and tea exports etc. are already enjoying the fruits of employing design, the other businesses too are falling in line.
Q: Have any other countries used design like this for their advantage?
A: Yes. The world design capital UK is the best example. The official statistics published in January 2014 reveal that the UK’s creative Industries are now worth £71.4 billion per year to the UK economy – generating just over a staggering £8 million pounds an hour. ‘Design’ is what fuels ALL this. This is why I value the UK-Sri Lanka relationship so much when it comes to developing design because they have tried, tested and succeeded in using design for economic growth.
Q: What do you see as the most important foundation for developing design in Sri Lanka?
A: I am a big believer of education and I think the basis for the professionalisation of any trade is the establishment of world-class, industry relevant education of that sector. That is what we established in Sri Lanka through AOD; now we offer Northumbria University’s world-recognised design degrees in completion here in Sri Lanka while maintaining a close relationship with local industries and making sure our curriculum is updated to meet their needs and our students work with industry while at campus through live projects, internships, etc. So, the essential basis for developing a good design resource is now in Sri Lanka at our dispense.
Q: How does AOD contribute to the design sphere in the country?
A: At AOD, all the programs we offer are those we feel there is a need for it in the country. So from the Fashion degree feeding to the apparel industry, graphic design degree creating designers to service the brand needs of all businesses in addition to contributing to the advertising industry as well as BA (Hons) Interior Design catering professionals for hospitality, tourism and the on-going construction boom etc. all our degrees serve a larger purpose in Sri Lanka. We just started motion graphics because we see a real need for it in the future in film, television, computer games, advertising and new media, etc.
The concern many parents have is whether their children are able to find jobs once they are done with a design degree. But the truth is, all these degrees are fitting into a certain and very prevalent demand. Which is why qualified designers today have a 100%.
Q: What are AOD’s contributions beyond education?
A: I believe education doesn’t stop at the end of a three-year degree or handing a certificate. I think design and designers need a wider spectrum of opportunities and platforms. AOD has pursued this widely and have succeeded in providing Sri Lanka Design Festival as the largest platform for designers in Sri Lanka as well as the annual REVEAL undergraduate design exhibition that pushes fresh talent to the spotlight in front of potential employers and the general public. Even projects we have launched such as Centre for Creative Enterprise (CCE) in partnership with Lanka Angel Networks’ Venture Engine program have given design entrepreneurs a much-needed infrastructure to launch their dream businesses. I think these initiatives are unique contributions that AOD has delivered for Sri Lanka.
Q: How far can design entrepreneurs go in Sri Lanka?
A: We already have design entrepreneurs doing extremely well in Sri Lanka. The previously mentioned AOD initiative ‘Centre for Creative Enterprise’ (CCE) in partnership with Lanka Angel Networks’ Venture Engine program has produced several successful design entrepreneurs in fashion, textile design, graphic design touching product design. With the education and infrastructure available in Sri Lanka now, I see many more success stories coming in.
Q: What do you have to say to the young aspiring designers and their parents?
A: There is a huge potential in this area; it is a non-traditional career, but the rewards are remarkable. I feel that the parents need to be reassured knowing that this is a respectable career path with great opportunities to travel, climb up the corporate ladder along with high financial security and job satisfaction.
If you want to find out more and see for yourself the importance of design and the relevance it bears to business, visit REVEAL 2014 that commences today at Park Street Mews and remains open freely this weekend. Here you will see the remarkable work young design graduates do and how they get handpicked by businesses hungry to employ new talent; you will see something truly remarkable that will shift your perception there.
